This invention relates to a system and method for automatically producing secure identity documents. In particular, this invention relates to a system and method for automatically personalizing passports and other secure documents, such as identification cards, as well as printing on and/or personalizing other multiple page, bound documents.
Personalization of passports presents unique challenges that are not encountered when personalizing other types of documents. Passports are secure documents and are typically produced in a manner to prevent forgeries and duplications. There is an international standard (International Civil Airline Organization 9303-1 and ISO/IEC 7501-1) that defines certain attributes of, and provides suggestions for the layout of, a passport. However, each country may have different requirements as to what information, images, data, etc. are included in a passport, and on which particular page of the passport this information is placed.
It would be advantageous to be able to automatically personalize passports in a faster time, with minimal, or no, intervention and handling by an operator. This would enable faster production time, reduce operator error, improve security, and reduce production costs. Any such system must take into account the unique characteristics of a passport, such as preexisting serialization or printed information, security features, information placement on different pages, and the different number of pages that are present in passports.
Machines that personalize passports are known. These previous machines have included laser engraving capability, but have not included leafing (i.e. page turning) capability. In these machines, the passports are presented individually by hand to the machine, with the passports opened by the operator to the appropriate page for laser engraving of that page. These machines have limited throughput capability, as well as security issues and increased error rates due to operator interaction, making them inadequate for secure, high volume production of passports. In addition, due to the interaction by the operator, passport security issues are present as are increased error rates.
Therefore, there is a need for a system and method for personalizing passports that is fully automated, thereby enabling operation with minimal or no intervention and handling by an operator, as well as enabling significantly higher rates of passport production.
The invention provides a system that is designed to personalize identity documents, such as passports and other multiple page bound documents. For passport production, the system personalizes each passport with the required information of the intended holder of the passport. The invention also provides a method of producing identity documents such as passports. Required information for passport production can include personal biographic data about the passport holder, information concerning the passport holder""s family members, emergency information, document holder authentication information, document authentication features, validity period, work status, etc. The system can also gather information contained on the passport, such as serial number information or pre-printed registration marks for alignment of personaliation information. Detection, or the lack thereof, of this information provides further security.
The system eliminates the need for an operator to do many of the steps of passport personalization required by previous machines, such as reading numbers, opening to certain pages, aligning passports with printers, etc. However, operator intervention is required for loading and unloading passports from the input module and the output module, and to clear jams should they occur.
The system is preferably modular in construction, thereby readily permitting the assembly and reconfiguration of an application specific production system from different processing modules. The modules can be built and tested prior to configuration into the system. In fact, the modules can be built, tested, packaged and shipped to a job site prior to assembly into a system. Moreover, the modules permit the system to be reconfigured at the job site so as to add or remove modules as dictated by the changing needs of the application.
In one embodiment of the invention, a system for personalizing a multiple page, bound document is provided. The system comprises a leafing mechanism constructed to receive the bound document in an open or closed configuration. The leafing mechanism includes an apparatus for turning pages of the document. The system further includes a personalization mechanism that is disposed either downstream or upstream from the leafing mechanism and which is capable of performing a personalization operation on a page of the document.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the leafing mechanism and personalization mechanism are constructed as separate modules. The personalization module can be either a laser personalization module or a printer module. The printer module can include an integral leafing mechanism built therein. Additional modules can be used within the system as well for performing additional functions. For instance, a second leafing module, one or more input and output modules, an integrated circuit chip module, and one or more additional laser personalization modules and/or printer modules, can be included within the system. A leafing mechanism, such as a leafing apparatus built into the particular personalization module or a separate leafing module, is preferably upstream of each personalization mechanism to permit turning to the appropriate page requiring the next personalization operation.
In another embodiment of the invention, a method of personalizing a multiple page, bound document is provided. The method comprises inputting a bound document in an open or closed configuration into a leafing mechanism, turning to a preselected page using the leafing mechanism, inputting the document into a personalization mechanism, and performing a personalization operation on the preselected page.
For a better understanding of the invention, its advantages and objects obtained by its use, reference should be made to the drawings which form a further part hereof, and to the accompanying description, in which there is described a preferred embodiment of the invention.